Proposition 203 falls behind in early results

Advocates looking to votes in key counties

The "no" vote on Proposition 203, the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act, had a slight lead in early results Tuesday night.

"I hope we hang on to that lead," said Carolyn Short, chairwoman of Keep AZ Drug Free, the anti-203 campaign. "Nothing would make me happier."

Andrew Myers, campaign manager for the Arizona Medical Marijuana Policy Project, said he is confident the "yes" vote will lead once results from all the precincts in Maricopa and Pima counties were counted. Myers said the two counties are Prop. 203 strongholds.

Prop. 203 would legalize marijuana for medicinal use. If voters approved the measure, Arizona would be the 15th state to legalize medical marijuana.

Licensed physicians would be able to recommend medical marijuana to patients with debilitating medical conditions, which include cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C and Alzheimer's disease. Other conditions could be added to the approved list by the state health department through a public-petition process.

This is the fourth time Arizonans have voted on medical marijuana. Patients would register for ID cards with the department and receive up to 2 1/2 ounces of marijuana every 14 days from dispensaries or cultivate up to 12 marijuana plants if they lived 25 miles or farther from a dispensary.

Arizona could have up to 124 non-profit dispensaries, proportionate to the number of pharmacies.

The debate over Prop. 203 has centered on whether the measure truly is intended for patients with serious diseases. Supporters of the measure used the phrase "stop arresting patients" to tout potential medical benefits of marijuana. But opponents have said that Prop. 203 is a back-door to legalization.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved smoking marijuana.